Mark B. Madsen

Mark Benson Madsen (born May 8, 1963) is an American politician and attorney from Utah. A Libertarian, he is a former member of the Utah State Senate, where he represented the state's 13th senate district in Utah, and Tooele Counties including the city of Lehi. Madsen is the grandson of Ezra Taft Benson, Secretary of Agriculture under President Eisenhower.

Personal life, education, and career Madsen received his bachelor's degree from George Mason University and his J.D. from the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University. In 1994, Mark met Erin Michele Allen, an Idaho native, working in Washington, D.C. They married in June 1995. He has since become an advocate for the legalization of medicinal marijuana.

Background Eagle Mountain City Council Member Americas 100 Emerging Political Leaders State Legislative Leaders Foundation Support of Excellence Award (UT Highway Patrol) Kentucky Colonel International Election Observer (Panama 1988 and Guatemala) Representative for National Convention 2008

Political career Madsen started his political career in 1984 when he lived and worked in the Washington, D.C. area. Madsen last ran for office in 2012 when we won unopposed. He retired at the end of the 2016 session.

In 2016, Madsen served on the following committees: Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee Executive Offices and Criminal Justice Appropriations Subcommittee Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee Senate Education Committee Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee (chair) Senate Rules Committee

At the end of the 2016 legislative session, Madsen announced that he no longer planned to run for office but would instead leave the United States to reside in South America for a time.

In July 2016, Madsen switched from the Republican to the Libertarian Party and endorsed Gary Johnson for president.

Legislation

2016 sponsored bills Bill number and Title Bill status S.B. 73 Medical Cannabis Act Senate/Filed for bills not passed 3/10/2016 S.B. 221 Capitol Protocol Amendments Governor Signed 3/23/2016 S.B. 226 Civil Actions Involving Law Enforcement Officers or Emergency Vehicle Operators Senate/Filed for bills not passed 3/10/2016 S.B. 254 Administrative Subpoena Amendments Senate/Filed for bills not passed 3/10/2016

Notable legislation In the 2008 session of the state legislature, Madsen was chief sponsor of SB 210, a bill that required proof of citizenship to be presented in order for Utahns to register to vote.

Local Salt Lake City media erroneously reported that S.B. 247, which Madsen sponsored, would honor Utah native gun creator John M. Browning on the current Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, as Madsen had originally proposed. He was criticized greatly for this. which passed both houses of the Utah Legislature and was signed into law, recognized John M. Browning on January 24, 2011. In 2016, Madsen once again presented a medical marijuana bill. During this session, Madsen's bill had competition. Senator Evan Vickers introduced S.B. 89, this bill was a scaled back marijuana bill. During the session his difficulties increased when the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints said it opposed his bill. Still, Madsen, who is Mormon, continued to support his bill because polls show most Utah residents support the proposed law. "It would be immoral to back down," he said. The bill, S.B. 73, passed out of the Senate, but died in the House Health and Human Services Committee. Neither of the marijuana bills passed during the 2016 Session.